Wall construction



F. M. VENZIE WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 15, 1933 Deg. 7, 193 7.

7E //////////////////////fl Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE WALL CONSTRUCTION Application September 15, 1933, Serial No. 689,579

6 Claims.

My invention relates to building construction and, more particularly, to a. novel interior partition wall.

The partition wall comprising my invention consists of a multiplicity of units having finished surfacing faces on both sides thereof, together with means for holding such units in edgewise abutting relationship under tension, said means lying between the faces of the units so that they are hidden thereby.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a novel interior partition wall comprising a multiplicity of units having a finished surface on both sides.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel interior wall composed of a multiplicity of surfacing units in which the units are held under tension in abutting relationship.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel interior partition wall formed of a multiplicity of units having finished surfaces on both sides, together with means for maintaining the edges of said units in abutting relationship, said means being hidden within the units but operative from without.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification, claims, and from the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with portions broken away of a partition wall embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line Z2, Fig. l but with the units of the partition not in completely assembled relationship;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, partially foreshortened, on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a plate embodied in my invention;

Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of a clip embodied in my invention; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 88, Fig. 2.

The partition wall embodying my invention is adapted for insertion in a completed building to divide the interior thereof into smaller rooms. As illustrated, a plurality of wooden nailing strips In, ll, [2, and I3 are connected to the floor 1, ceiling c, and two side walls 10, respectively, with their edges in the same vertical planes and ends in abutting or contiguous relationship. Connected to the strip [2 on one of the side walls is a channel iron M of substantially the same width as the nailing strip and a similar channel member I5 is connected to the nailing strip l0 adjacent the fioor. The other two nailing strips I! and. I3 have each connected thereto one angle iron I 8 with one face lying in the same plane in which lies one flange of each of the two channel irons l4 and I5.

A multiplicity of bolts 20 having square heads or necks to prevent rotation thereof with respect to the nailing strip pass through the nailing strip l2 and through the channel iron 14 connected thereto and each carry a threaded connector or nut 2! which when screwed tightly thereon still extends beyond the end of the bolt.

Through the extended portion of the nut 2| is fastened a chain 22, over which is mounted a surfacing unit 23 formed with metal surfaces 24 on opposite faces and preferably with tongued and grooved edges. The interior of the surfacing unit may be of any desired construction, such as is well known to those skilled in the art, for sound proofing or fireproofing purposes and'as here illustrated is formed with an opening 25 to lighten the weight of the unit. The unit is slid into position within the channels 14 and I5 and over the chain 22 and straightened to bear against the angle iron l8 on the upper nailing strip II. A clip 30 is then applied to the upper nailing strip H to maintain the unit in vertical position, the clip 30 being formed with openings 30a for the reception of nails 3|, whereby it is afiixed to the finishing strip, and with a flange 3% at right angles thereto to prevent any vertical movement of the unit.

After the first unit is placed in position other units are erected the chains passed therethrough, their lower ends first being placed in the channel l5, the upper ends being brought to bear against the angle iron l8 on the upper nailing strip H and the clips 30 applied to the nailing strip. At the desired times a small channel member 33 is slipped over the chain and this member is connected as by the angle members 34 to the lower and upper nailing strips l0 and II respectively to act as a stud. The application of the wedges 4! to the chain 22 drives the channel member into position and forces the surfacing units into close marginal abutting relationship.

At such positions as it is found desirable to exert tension on the chain 22 without inserting one of the channels 33 a plate 40, having a slot 40a therein sufficiently large to pass over the chain 22 but sufiiciently small to prevent a wedge from passing therethrough, may be positioned adjacent the ends of one of the surfacing units I l and a wedge 4| may then be driven through a link of the chain. The last unit in the wall is erected similarly to the intermediate units ex- 5 cept that when it is positioned it is brought to bear against the angle iron I8 connected to the nailing strip l3 and is held in position thereagainst by additional angles 42 in small sections which are then fastened to the nailing strip, I3.

10 The wall 'is then finished by the application'to the nailing strips of finishing strips 44.

It will be obvious that with a wall as above described the surfacing units will be held with their edges in close abutting relationship and movement of the wall out ofa vertical plane prevented. Since all portions of the construction can be standardized except the nailing and finishing strips it will be obvious that. cost of erecting such a wall will be considerably less than the usual plaster finished job.

Various modifications may be made in the above described embodiment of my invention without departing, from .the spirit and scope thereof as set'forth in the following claims:

What I claim is: 1..An interior partition wall, comprising nailing strips afiixedto two opposing walls, to a ceiling, and to a ficor, said strips being arranged with their ends in-contiguous relationship and having *itheir edges in common'planes; channel members fixed to two contiguous nailing strips; angle irons fixed to the other two nailing strips; bolts passing throughthe nailingstrip and channel connected to a wall; nuts on-said bolts; chains connected to said nuts; asurfacing unit extending into said last named channel and covering said nut and chain and also positioned within the other channel and abutting one of said angle irons; clips affixed to the nailing strip adjacent 40 said last named angle iron; said channels, clips and angle irons providing means for maintaining said surfacing unit in vertical position; other similar surfacing units; means, including said chains, for connecting said units to said first named unit under pressure; and finishing strips covering said nailing strips, channels, clips and angles.

2. An interior partition wall comprising nailing strips affixed to two opposing walls, to a ceiling, and to a floor, said strips having their ends in contiguous relationship and their edges in com.- mon planes; channel members fixed to two contiguous nailing strips; angle irons, fixed tothe other two nailing strips; a surfacingunit extending into one of said channels and also positioned within the other channel and abutting one of said angle irons; clips affixed to the nailing strip adjacent said last named angle iron, said channels,-

clips and angle irons providing means for mainoo taining said surfacing unit in vertical position;

other similar surfacing units; means for connecting said units to said first named units under pressure, said means being connected to one of said nailing strips; and finishing strips covering said nailing strips, clips, channels and angles.

3. An interior partition wall comprising nailing strips aflixed to two opposing walls, to a ceiling, and to a floor, said strips having their ends in contiguous relationship and'their edges in common planes; channel members fixed to two contiguous nailing strips; angle irons fixed to the other two nailing strips; bolts passing through the nailing strip and channel connected to a wall; nuts on said bolts; chains connected to said nuts; a surfacing unit extending into said last named channel and covering said nuts and chains and also positioned within the other channel and abuttingone of saidangle irons; studs connected to two of said nailing strips and lying within said units; clips affixed to the nailing strip adjacent said last named angle iron; said channels, studs, c1ips,.and angle irons providing means for maintaining said surfacing unit in vertical position; other similar surfacing units; means, including said bolts, chains, and nuts, for connecting said units .to said first named unit under pressure; and finishing strips covering said nailing strips, clips, channelsv and angles.

4. An interior partition wall comprising a multiplicity of surfacing units, supporting means, chainssecured at one .end to said supporting means andpassing through said surfacing units, and a wedge passing through a link in each of said chains and abutting an edge of one of said units for maintainingsaid chain under tension and said units in abutting relationship.

5. An interior partition wall comprising a multiplicity of surfacing units, supporting means, chains secured at :one end to said supporting means and passing through said surfacing units, means for preventing movement of said units out of a vertical plane, and a wedge passing through a link ineach, of said chains for maintaining said -chains under. tension and said units in abutting relationship.

6. An..interior partition wall comprising nailing strips affixed to two opposing walls, to a ceiling and to a floor, saidstrips having their ends in contiguous relationship and their edges in common planes; channel members fixed to two contiguous nailing strips; angle irons affixed to the other two nailing strips; a surfacing unit extending into said channels and abutting one of said angle irons; means under tension for connecting other similar surfacing members to said first named member, said means being connected to one 'of said nailing strips; and finishing strips covering said nailing strips, channels and angles.

FREDERICK M. VENZIE. 

